Waterfowl hunters often use floating decoys to lure their prey to a particular location while hunting. In order to keep the decoys in a generally fixed position, hunters often attach weights to an anchor line, and attach the other end of the anchor line to the underside of a decoy. The weight is dropped to the bottom of a lake or pond with the anchor line tied to it, which prevents the decoy from drifting away.
Many types of decoy anchors have been developed for this purpose. The following examples of prior efforts to develop decoy anchors illustrate the state of the art, and are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,278,594—Decoy Anchor
This invention relates to an anchor designed for use in connection with decoys made of wood, rubber, fiber or any other material. Anchors are usually connected to decoys by means of lines fastened to screw-eyes on the bottoms of the decoys. When the anchors are lowered to the bottom of the body of water on which the decoys rest, they serve to prevent the decoy from drifting. Various types of anchors have been used but one of the objections found in the use of these anchors has been the difficulty in attaching to the decoy that end of the line to which the anchor is fastened. As a result, when a decoy is removed from a body of water and the line wrapped therearound accordance with the usual practice, the lines and anchors of several decoys frequently become entangled while being packed or transported.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,815—Anchor for Decoy Ducks
The present invention relates to new and use full improvements in anchors designed for use in connection with decoy ducks made of wood or of other suitable material.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,093—Portable Motion Detector and Alarm System and Method
This invention relates to a decoy anchor for use by duck hunters and the like in setting out artificial duck decoys.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,813,363—Anchor for Decoy Ducks
A conventionally shaped decoy has an elongated anchoring or tethering cord connected to the underside thereof. Said cord, in turn, is connected to one end of an elongated strap of elastic properties, and this in turn is connected to an anchor of frustoconical shape. When the decoy is not in use, the cord is coiled about the body thereof. Thereafter, the strap is coiled about the neck, and is stretched against the restraint of its inherent resiliency. Thereafter, the anchor is positioned over the bill of the decoy, and will be drawn tightly thereagainst by the tendency of the coiled strap to contract. Conventional decoy anchors tend to become entangled with one another and with their anchoring cords, when a number of decoys are deposited in a sack in accordance with conventional practice. The main object of the invention is to provide anchoring means for decoys that will eliminate these tendencies, while at the same time being efficiently usable whenever the decoys are to be floated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,816—Decoy Anchor
A unitary structure which serves as a waterfowl decoy anchor having attached anchor line which structure is configured to be removably received for storage on the keel of a floatable waterfowl decoy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,907—Decoy Weight
The present invention relates to a decoy weight assembly consisting of a weight having a hole through its longitudinal axis through which an elasticized cord is inserted. The end of the cord at the bottom end of the weight is attached to a hook means. The other end of the cord is connected via a string or other suitable means to the bottom of the decoy. When in use the weight slides down the cord and rests on top of the hook means. The length of cord and size of the weight will vary depending on the size and type of decoys being used. When the decoy is being transported the string and cord are wound around a stabilizing fin provided on the bottom of the decoy and retained in place by the hook means. This invention prevents the tangling of decoy weights and rope associated with prior art systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,515—Anchor for Marker Buoy, Waterfowl Decoy and the Like
An improved anchor for securing the floatation units of marker buoys, waterfowl decoys, and the like at selected locations on a body of water. The anchor has an anchor weight portion of non-lead material and a pair of clamping arms extending outwardly from the anchor body, and configured and adapted to springably spread apart to open, to close about, and to releasably clamp onto the floatation unit, thus preventing the release and tangling of anchor line. This provides convenient storage for the marker buoy or the waterfowl decoy with its wound anchor line and the attached anchor. Currently, marker buoy anchors and waterfowl decoy anchors frequently consist of a thin lead strip capable of being bent around a portion of the floatation unit of the marker buoy or the waterfowl decoy for secure storage. For use, the lead strip can be unbent to release it from the floatation unit.
US Patent Application Publication No. 20070266614 A1—Decoy Anchor
An anchor system including a tether attached to a floating decoy at a first end and a weight mounted on the tether and freely slidable to a position substantially adjacent to the floating decoy.
Each of the above-referenced decoy anchors and systems includes disadvantages. It would be desirable to provide a decoy anchor that is inexpensive and simple to manufacture, easy to use and store, and is low-profile and compact.